An individual may require a mandible reconstruction due to trauma, atrophy, or a tumor. To remove a tumor, the surgeon may cut the mandible on either side of the tumor thereby separating the tumor from the mandible. Once the tumor is removed, the mandible is separated into a first part and a second part. If needed, the first part and/or the second part may be repositioned and screws and plates are used to fix the first part and the second part together until natural bone healing takes place.
The mandibular bone plates currently used are shaped so as to be attached to a buccal surface, and in some cases on an inferior surface of the mandible. As a result, these plates have relatively high profiles which may cause irritation to the surrounding soft tissue such as for example to the surrounding blood vessels, muscles, nerves, and skin, and may also cause palpable cosmetic deformities. Furthermore, the adaptation of these plates to facilitate an anatomical placement may result in degraded performance and/or reduced fatigue life.